1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed towards a basketball system and, in particular, to a basketball goal assembly with a strike plate that can be used to support a rebound surface of a basketball goal and facilitate attachment of a rim assembly to the basketball goal.
2. Description of Related Art
Basketball is an increasingly popular sport in the United States and throughout the world. Basketball may be played in informal games and in organized leagues. For example, many cities, counties and other entities sponsor recreational and instructional leagues where people of various ages can participate in the sport of basketball. Some leagues allow children that are as young as five and six years old to participate, and other leagues allow much older adults to play basketball.
The game of basketball typically includes a court with a generally flat and level playing surface and a basketball goal located at each end of the court. The basketball goal typically includes a support pole with a backboard and rim or hoop attached to the top of the support pole. The rim or hoop is normally located ten feet above the playing surface and the hoop is rigidly mounted to the basketball backboard. The face of the backboard is positioned perpendicular to the playing surface and the hoop is positioned perpendicular to the backboard and parallel to the playing surface. The mounting of the hoop to the backboard must be sufficiently rigid so that the hoop is capable of withstanding various forces and impacts during the game of basketball. For example, the hoop must remain in a generally stationary position so that the basketball rebounds and bounces off the rim in a consistent, dependable manner. In addition, the hoop must be able to withstand various impacts by the players during the game.
In recent years it has become increasingly popular to xe2x80x9cdunkxe2x80x9d the basketball in which the basketball is thrown through the hoop with great force. In particular, the basketball is thrown through the hoop from a position above the rim. While it is possible to dunk the basketball without the basketball or the player touching the rim, it is not uncommon for a player to strike the rim with the basketball and/or his or her hands and arms while dunking the basketball. In addition, a player may even grab and/or suspend themselves from the rim during the game or while practicing. These forces caused by dunking the basketball and players grabbing or suspending themselves from the rim impart substantial forces on the goal.
If the force applied to the basketball rim is of sufficient magnitude, many problems could result. For example, if the basketball backboard is constructed from tempered glass, the force applied to the goal may shatter the glass. This may result in injury to players surrounding the goal and spectators in the immediate area. In addition, the backboard has to be replaced before the game can be continued. Unfortunately, replacing the glass backboard requires a substantial amount of time and that results in an unacceptable delay of the basketball game. Additionally, it can be very expensive to replace glass backboards each time they are damaged.
Known basketball backboards are also constructed from materials other than tempered glass. For example, known basketball backboards may also be manufactured using thermoformed plastic. Thermoformed plastic is a relatively strong material, but it is also brittle. The brittle nature of the thermoformed plastic makes it susceptible to cracking or shattering upon impact. Additionally, thermoformed plastic backboards often require the use of strengthening ribs and reinforcement structures in order to increase the stiffness and rigidity of the backboard. These ribs and reinforcement structures detract from the aesthetics of the backboard and add to the complexity of the design and manufacturing process. Further, many thermoformed plastic basketballs are formed from two or more pieces that must be assembled together. Accordingly, thermoformed plastic backboards often require additional assembly and added parts such as fasteners. Therefore, thermoformed plastic backboards are relatively costly to manufacture.
Basketball backboards constructed from thermoformed plastic are generally more resistant to shattering or breaking in comparison to tempered glass backboards. The forces applied to the rim when a player dunks the basketball or otherwise contacts the rim, however, may still damage rim or backboard even if the backboard is constructed from thermoformed plastic. In particular, it is not only possible to break or shatter the backboard by dunking the basketball, but it is also possible to bend or otherwise deform the backboard and/or hoop. For example, if sufficient force is applied to the hoop, the hoop may bend from its horizontal position into a deformed, angled configuration. This is very undesirable because the hoop must remain horizontal and parallel to the playing surface. After a hoop has been bent into a deformed position, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to restore the hoop to its original, horizontal position. Thus, the hoop must usually be replaced, which is often time consuming and difficult to accomplish. Further, because hoops used in connection with home, playground and portable basketball systems are often not as strong and durable as hoops used for professional basketball games, these hoops are more likely to be bent and deformed. Therefore, hoops used in connection with home, playground and portable basketball systems are more likely to be damaged and in need of replacement.
It is known use a basketball hoop that will xe2x80x9cbreakawayxe2x80x9d or deflect from its original horizontal position when a threshold force is applied to the hoop in order to prevent damage to the hoop or backboard. In particular, when greater than a predetermined amount of force is applied to the rim, the rim is allowed to pivot downwardly before the rim or backboard is damaged. These known breakaway rims allow the hoop to maintain its horizontal position during regular play when forces such as the basketball bouncing off of the hoop are applied. The breakaway rims, however, deflect downwardly when a substantial amount of force is applied to the hoop, such as someone dunking a basketball, in order to absorb much of the energy applied to the hoop.
Conventional basketball goals may also include backboards that are constructed from lightweight materials which reduce manufacturing costs, shipping costs, and allow the basketball goal to be more easily assembled. For example, a conventional basketball goal may include a backboard with a metal or wooden frame. A relatively thin and lightweight rebound surface, which may be constructed of a transparent polymer such as acrylic, is attached to the frame to form the backboard. The transparent rebound surface may enhance the appearance of the basketball goal and it allows people to see through the backboard, which may provide the look and feel of professional basketball goal.
The thin and lightweight rebound surface, however, may bend noticeably and undesirably deflect when impacted by a basketball. For example, when players shoot the basketball during a game or practice, they will often intentionally try to bounce the basketball off the rebounding surface in order to xe2x80x9cbankxe2x80x9d the basketball into the goal. Additionally, the basketball will often bounce off the rim and strike the rebound surface during a game or practice. The bending or deflecting of the rebound surface is often undesirable because the basketball does not bounce or rebound off the rebound surface in a consistent manner. In particular, because one portion of the rebound surface may deflect or bend more than another portion of the rebound surface, the basketball will rebound differently according to which portion of the rebound surface is struck by the basketball ball. Disadvantageously, this causes the basketball to bounce or rebound in an unexpected and inconsistent manner.
The bending or deflecting of the rebound surface is often especially problematic near the center of the rebound surface because players will typically aim at or near the center of the rebound surface to score a basket. If the center portion of the rebound surface causes the basketball to bound or rebound in an inconsistent manner, then the game of basketball may be much more difficult to play. Unfortunately, the center portions of many conventional basketball backboards are not adequately supported because the rebound surfaces are only supported at the outer edges by the frame. Additionally, when a break-away type rim is used in conjunction with a conventional basketball goal, the movement of the rim may cause the rebound surface to undesirably move. For example, when a player dunks a basketball and the rim deflects, the rim will return to its normal position when the force is released. When the rim returns to its normal position, however, the rim may snap back against the center of the rebound surface when the rim is released and that will cause the rebound surface to deflect.
Conventional basketball goals may include additional struts or crossbars that are attached to the frame to provide support against undesirable bending or deflection of the rebound surface. Disadvantageously, these components increase the weight and cost of the basketball goal. Furthermore, these additional components, which are located behind the transparent rebound surface, are often unattractive and are potentially distracting because they can be seen through the transparent rebound surface.
A need therefore exists for a basketball goal assembly that eliminates the above-described disadvantages and problems.
One aspect of the present invention is a basketball goal assembly that includes a support structure that is sized and configured to support the basketball goal assembly. A goal support structure is connected to the support structure and a basketball goal is connected to the goal support structure. The basketball goal preferably includes a backboard with a rebound surface and a backboard bracket connected to the backboard. A strike plate may be connected to the backboard bracket and the strike plate may include a rebound support surface that is sized and configured to support at least a portion of the rebound surface. A rim assembly, which includes a basketball rim or hoop, may also be connected to the strike plate.
Another aspect is the strike plate may include one or more tabs that are sized and configured to abut the backboard bracket to allow forces impacting the backboard to be transmitted to the backboard bracket. The strike plate may also include one or more flexural supports that are sized and configured to abut the backboard bracket to allow forces impacting the backboard to be transmitted to the backboard bracket. In addition, the strike plate may include one or more tabs and/or flexural supports that are spaced apart from the backboard bracket when no force is applied to the rebound surface, and the tabs and/or flexural supports contact the backboard bracket when a force is applied to the rebound surface. The tabs and/or flexural supports allow forces to be transmitted to the backboard bracket. Advantageously, because the backboard bracket may be connected to the goal support structure, forces can be directly transmitted from the strike plate to the backboard bracket and the goal support structure.
Still another aspect is a strike plate for a basketball goal assembly that may include a support structure, a backboard with a rebound surface, and a rim assembly. The strike plate preferably includes a main body portion with a front face that is sized and configured to be positioned adjacent to the rim assembly. The strike plate also preferably includes a rebound surface support that extends from the main body portion. The rebound surface support is desirably sized and configured to support at least a portion the rebound surface of the backboard. The strike plate may also include a lip that extends from the main body portion and is sized and configured to allow the strike plate to be attached to the backboard.
Preferably, the front face of the main body portion of the strike plate is disposed generally parallel to the rebound surface support.
Yet another aspect is a basketball goal assembly including a support pole, a goal support structure connected to the support pole, and a basketball goal connected to the goal support structure. The basketball goal desirably includes a backboard, a backboard bracket connected to the backboard, a strike plate connected to the backboard, and a rim assembly connected to the strike plate and the backboard bracket by one or more fasteners. Advantageously, the rim assembly may include a break-away type rim that pivots in response to a force applied to the rim.
A further aspect is basketball goal that includes a backboard with a frame and a rebound surface, and a strike plate connected to the backboard. The strike plate includes a main body portion with a front face and a rebound surface support that is sized and configured to support at least a portion the rebound surface of the backboard. The strike plate is preferably sized and configured to help prevent at least a portion of the rebound surface from undesirably deflecting when a force is applied to the rebound surface. The basketball goal may also include a rim assembly connected to the backboard support member.
Advantageously, the strike plate can be used to help prevent the rebound surface from undesirably bending or deflecting. In addition, the strike plate can be used to transmit forces from the rebound surface to the backboard bracket, which may improve the reliability and life of the backboard.
Significantly, the basketball goal assembly provides an effective, reliable support for a rebound surface of a basketball goal. In addition, the basketball goal assembly may enable more predictable and enhanced basketball play because of improved rebounding characteristics, and it allows a lightweight rebound surface to be used. Furthermore, the strike plate improves rebounding characteristics without requiring the use of additional frame elements that add to the cost, weight, and complexity of the system.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and appended claims.